Head injuries stretch Mulago Hospital
Jun 02, 2011
FIFTY percent of the people who perish in motorcycle (<b>boda boda</b>) accidents die as a result of head injuries.
By Josephine Maseruka
FIFTY percent of the people who perish in motorcycle (boda boda) accidents die as a result of head injuries.
This was disclosed by Dr. Michael Edgar Muhumuza, a consultant neurosurgeon at Mulago Hospital.
He was addressing a symposium at the launch of the helmet-use campaign by the Uganda Helmet Vaccine Initiative (UHVI) held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday.
Muhumuza noted that 50% of all motorcycle crash fatalities are a result of brain injury.
“Helmet use reduces fatalities by 42% and severe injury by 69%. If this can happen why don’t we develop a culture of wearing helmets to save life? The cost of a helmet is far cheaper than being hospitalised,†he noted.
Muhumuza shocked his audience with graphic pictures of head injuries sustained by mainly motorcyclists.
At the same function, a study report on helmet use by commercial motorcyclist’s in Kampala and Mbale districts was released.
Muhumuza said apart from the many fatalities and injuries as a result of motorcycle crashes, Mulago receives three cases of motorcyclists who have been hit on the head with metals daily.
He regretted that most victims are attacked at night but are usually seen the following day when it is too late to save them.
“In case of severe head injuries, if surgery is done within three hours, the mortality rate is less than 30%. But if it is done after three hours, mortality rate is more than 90%,†Muhumuza said.
He said with only 26 orthopedic surgeons and four neuro-surgeons, the burden of handling accident victims with severe head injuries, which are ‘ an emergency’ is overwhelming Mulago Hospital.
Muhumuza suggested that there should be at least two neuro-surgeons in every regional hospital and over 10 of them at Mulago.
Information available shows that 62.5% of Mulago’s surgery budget goes on victims of crashes.
Despite the 2004 traffic regulation law on use of helmets by riders and passengers, the prevalence of helmet use among boda boda riders in Kampala is 30.5%, down from 46.4% in 2006.
The UHVI study conducted between February and March 2010 in Kampala and Mbale districts, shows that prevalence of helmet use among boda boda riders is 30.5% and 11.9% respectively, while that off passengers is 0.08% and 0.05% respectively.
The study shows that though 71% of boda boda cyclists in Kampala have helmets, only 30% use them.
The study was financed by the US government through the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Injury Control Centre Uganda.
UHVI is a joint initiative with the Automobile Association of Uganda and Arrive Alive Uganda.
Uganda National Research Organisation boss Dr. Sam Okware urged said if the Government used the same commitment it put in the control of AIDS, helmet use would reach 90% as is the case in Vietnam.
FIFTY percent of the people who perish in motorcycle (boda boda) accidents die as a result of head injuries.
This was disclosed by Dr. Michael Edgar Muhumuza, a consultant neurosurgeon at Mulago Hospital.
He was addressing a symposium at the launch of the helmet-use campaign by the Uganda Helmet Vaccine Initiative (UHVI) held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday.
Muhumuza noted that 50% of all motorcycle crash fatalities are a result of brain injury.
“Helmet use reduces fatalities by 42% and severe injury by 69%. If this can happen why don’t we develop a culture of wearing helmets to save life? The cost of a helmet is far cheaper than being hospitalised,†he noted.
Muhumuza shocked his audience with graphic pictures of head injuries sustained by mainly motorcyclists.
At the same function, a study report on helmet use by commercial motorcyclist’s in Kampala and Mbale districts was released.
Muhumuza said apart from the many fatalities and injuries as a result of motorcycle crashes, Mulago receives three cases of motorcyclists who have been hit on the head with metals daily.
He regretted that most victims are attacked at night but are usually seen the following day when it is too late to save them.
“In case of severe head injuries, if surgery is done within three hours, the mortality rate is less than 30%. But if it is done after three hours, mortality rate is more than 90%,†Muhumuza said.
He said with only 26 orthopedic surgeons and four neuro-surgeons, the burden of handling accident victims with severe head injuries, which are ‘ an emergency’ is overwhelming Mulago Hospital.
Muhumuza suggested that there should be at least two neuro-surgeons in every regional hospital and over 10 of them at Mulago.
Information available shows that 62.5% of Mulago’s surgery budget goes on victims of crashes.
Despite the 2004 traffic regulation law on use of helmets by riders and passengers, the prevalence of helmet use among boda boda riders in Kampala is 30.5%, down from 46.4% in 2006.
The UHVI study conducted between February and March 2010 in Kampala and Mbale districts, shows that prevalence of helmet use among boda boda riders is 30.5% and 11.9% respectively, while that off passengers is 0.08% and 0.05% respectively.
The study shows that though 71% of boda boda cyclists in Kampala have helmets, only 30% use them.
The study was financed by the US government through the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Injury Control Centre Uganda.
UHVI is a joint initiative with the Automobile Association of Uganda and Arrive Alive Uganda.
Uganda National Research Organisation boss Dr. Sam Okware urged said if the Government used the same commitment it put in the control of AIDS, helmet use would reach 90% as is the case in Vietnam.